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Thursday, December 27, 2012

Recently, I threw a winter-themed bridal shower brunch
for my sister. I was looking for cute, but tasty foods to round out the menu
and stumbled across this idea on Pinterest. While good for any season, the
wreath shape fit my theme perfectly, was simple to make, and was a delicious
hit with the guests.

On a cookie sheet or pizza pan, lay out the
crescent rolls in a circle, with the thicker ends slightly overlapping (like a
sunburst). Place a strip of bacon on each roll. (Tip: Though I am a crispy
bacon-lover, when cooking your bacon, don't allow it to get too crisp to
maintain flexibility.) Sprinkle about 1/3 of the cheese around the circular
ring, on top of the bacon. Add scrambled eggs and top with another 1/3 of
cheese. Fold over the ends of the crescents so that they meet in the middle,
creating a wreath shape. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 17 minutes or
until crescent is golden brown. Serve hot.

If you haven’t
discovered the popular Elf on the Shelf tradition yet, you are missing out! Mini
elves are sent from the North Pole to keep an eye on little boys and girls
during the holiday season, reporting back to Santa about behavior. Each night,
the elf (named by your child) travels back to the North Pole to deliver his
messages and sometimes gets into a little mischief upon his/her return. While
there is some debate over whether or not the elves should cause mischief, do
good deeds, or simply just move around, the choice is really yours.

Our elf, Jingles,
was a huge hit this year and our kiddo is counting down the days to his return.
He arrived the day after Thanksgiving and kept us entertained until Santa
arrived on Christmas Eve night. If you’ve never experienced an Elf on the Shelf
or just need some new schemes, here are 30 ideas to get you started.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

While my family was fortunate not to sustain
any major damage from Hurricane Sandy this week, we did lose power for three
days. Luckily, we have a gas range, so I was still able to cook on my stove top
This soup was bursting with flavor and was the perfect dish to ride out the
storm.

In a large saucepan, brown sausage over
medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, onion, and garlic.
Sauté for about 7 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add broth, tomatoes,
and beans. Stir in basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in pasta,
cover, and simmer for 7-8 minutes, until pasta is cooked. Remove from heat and stir
in spinach just until wilted. Serve hot and top with shredded Parmesan.

Prepare tortellini per package instructions, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in pumpkin, nutmeg, and onion powder. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes (stirring frequently), until sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add sauce and reserved cooking water to cooked tortellini and toss. Top with grilled chicken.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

One of my fellow pregnant friends from high school pinned this recipe on Facebook the other day and it looked so good, I just had to try it out. It is definitely not the healthiest dish but perfect for Sunday Football.

Monday, September 24, 2012

You’re on the
roadtrip from you-know-where, looking for a gas stop, and desperately seeking a
meal option that is NOT a McDonalds. You pull into one of the many greasy
options along the convenient tollway, expecting a gastrointestinal nightmare...

Been there? Yep,
that’s right. This recipe was actually inspired by a rest area menu. And it was
good. Really good. Enjoy.